A Year of Gratitude: God’s Faithful Servants

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

John 15:13

Last week on Facebook, I saw a very special person posting poems and tributes to a fallen firefighter. I read them, liked them, and prayed for the family, but also hoped I was wrong that one of his comrades had not passed away, much less in the line of duty.

Today, while looking at his wife’s Facebook page, I saw pictures of a firefighter’s funeral. His wife is also my best friend. When she told me about the funeral, I started really thinking about all of those that risk their own lives to protect us. Then, I put her husband in that firefighter’s place and told her that I could not have gone through her experience today with dry eyes. First of all, she and her family mean the world to our family. Her husband is Uncle Jim to D, and even to the girls who were so young the last time they saw him that they can’t possibly remember him. They are as much family to us as our own family and to think of him risking his life to protect ours, Wow!

After that, I thought about her and her children. What a sacrifice it is that their family makes every day as he heads to work. They are giving their father and husband to protect us at all times. They are risking the loss of the one man who means the most to them in their lives so that we, as society, are protected. Wow!

Not only firefighters, but also police officers, emergency medical responders, and of course our country’s military men and women risk their lives for us. The sacrifices that they and their families make are beyond worthy of gratitude.

161. Uncle Jim and all of the other firefighters across our country

162. Uncle Woody and all of the retired firefighters

163. police officers

164. emergency medical responders

165. US Military

166. Families of all of those who go to work every day to protect us

167. my wonderful husband who goes to work every day to provide for our family

168. the autism specialist who is working with D and our family from the school district

169. a positive IEP meeting

170. old episodes of Andy Griffith to provide entertainment after the kids are in bed